SCHOOLS: Elementary Schools Strengthen Common Core Standards, Technology

Principals of the Florence Roche Elementary School and the Swallow Union School in Dunstable presented their respective School Improvement Plans to the School Committee on October 9. School Improvement Plans are presented annually by the building Principal and the School Council members for that building and in general outline the goals teachers, staff and parents have for students in that building.

Both elementary schools in the Groton-Dunstable School District - Florence Roche in Groton and Swallow Union in Dunstable - listed the integration of technology in the curriculum as one of their top goals. Both schools also listed the further implementation of the Massachusetts Common Core Standards as a top goal. Each School listed three goals they will focus on for the coming year.

Florence Roche Elementary School

The top goal for the coming school year at Florence Roche is to strengthen the implementation of the Massachusetts Common Core Standards which establishes the curriculum for math, language, science and social studies. The Common Core Standards were adopted by the state as part of the federal No Child Left Behind law. Groton Dunstable started the transition to Common Core Standards last year and is mostly incorporated into the District's curriculum at the elementary level.

Florence Roche School Improvement Plan listed Technology Integration as their third goal to accomplish. To achieve this goal, the plan outlines several steps to be undertaken in the coming year. The plan is to provide all teachers with a laptop computer and improve staff knowledge of how to use technology in teaching the curriculum. Other steps include the provision to increase of the number of computer devices for students to use and to provide a wireless environment for computer devices.

The other goal set by the School Council is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that focuses on appropriate behavior, diversity of values among different cultures and encouraging community service undertakings.

Swallow Union School

The top goal in the School Improvement Plan for Swallow Union School is to integrate new technology tools in the district into the teaching of the curriculum. To achieve this goal, the Sallow Union School plans to obtain new computer devices for their students, emphasize training of teachers in using the new devices in teaching and determine how each grade will incorporate technology with their students.

The Swallow Union School, like Florence Roche, will also give priority to strengthening the implementation of the state common core standards. The improvement plan will place emphasis on teacher training to reinforce steps already taken in the district's transition to common core standards.

The other goal outlined in the Swallow Union School improvement plan is to improve and strengthen reading instruction. The school plans to work with a consultant group - "Teachers Learning Alliance" - to assist in enhancing reading instruction.

The improvement Plans at both elementary schools are expected to be acted upon in the 2013 - 2014 school year.